Indiana FirstNet Connect - February

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The Indiana FirstNet Connect

Welcome from IPSC

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Welcome to the February issue of The Indiana FirstNet Connect. Through these monthly newsletters, IPSC will keep you informed about developments related to FirstNet, the planned, Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN). This month, I encourage public safety, law enforcement, Fire/EMS, PSAPs emergency management, local elected officials and others with connections to public safety communications, to register for and plan to attend an Indiana FirstNet Regional Seminar.

IPSC is hosting ten regional seminars around the state, from February to April, prior to the statewide conference in French Lick in May. Attendees will learn how FirstNet could impact local communities, how new technologies are benefiting FirstNet’s early builders, and how FirstNet should be incorporated into local interoperable communications plans and emergency management plans.

When FirstNet launches, it will provide mission- critical, high-speed data services to supplement the voice capabilities of today’s Land Mobile Radio (LMR) networks. Initially, FirstNet will be used for sending data, video, images and text. FirstNet also will carry location information and eventually support streaming video. FirstNet plans to offer cellular voice communications such as Voice over Long Term Evolution (VoLTE) or other alternatives.

If an agency chooses to subscribe to the services, FirstNet will allow public safety agencies to use the dedicated broadband network to support communications and data sharing with smartphones, laptops, tablets and other devices.

IPSC will share news related to FirstNet as soon as it is available, whether regarding Indiana’s plans or nationwide activities.  Attending these seminars will provide a foundation to stay informed about how public safety broadband and FirstNet will impact public safety communications in Indiana.

Sincerely,

David Vice, IPSC Executive Director


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Join IPSC for the Nothing But Net: FirstNet and the Future of Public Safety Broadband conference on May 2 & 3, 2017 at the beautiful French Lick Resort in Orange County, Indiana.  

You may be able to attend for free!  IPSC will pay for conference registration and overnight stays for up to 3 representatives from each county.

Conference attendees will hear about developments and next steps at the federal level, directly from the national leaders of FirstNet, such as T.J. Kennedy, FirstNet President.  Indiana’s FirstNet conference is an opportunity for you to be among the first to learn about how FirstNet will enhance the options available to public safety agencies for sending data, images, video and text.  You’ll also see new technologies that could be enabled through the FirstNet.  

You can visit our Indiana FirstNet website (www.in.gov/ipsc/infirstnet) for up-to-date information and a reservation link when it is available.  Our March newsletter will also have more information on how to register, specific speakers, and more conference details.


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Visit our IN FirstNet website for more information or the IPSC website for additional programs and news.

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911 News Highlights

Although developing in parallel, FirstNet and Next Generation 911 (NG911) are both more powerful when the other is present, making FirstNet and NG911 highly complementary. From the FirstNet perspective, it’s great to see progress on NG911 deployments and 911 Legislation.  Below are some highlights:

  • National 911 Program Publishes 2016 National 911 Progress Report – In December 2016, 911.gov published their report which examines the progress across many aspects of 911 and NG911. Highlighting the importance of FirstNet, 911.gov writes, “The coordination of these efforts is essential in creating a seamless emergency communication system that transmits critical information from the public – to 911 – and on to emergency responders.” Learn more: https://www.911.gov/911firstnet.html
  • 911 Legislative Update – Both the U.S. House and Senate made progress on Kari’s Law Act, which requires that multi-line telephone systems (MLTS) omit a dialing code (such as “9”), when dialing 9-1-1, otherwise required to get an outside line.

We’ll be exploring FirstNet and NG911 at our Regional Seminars planned across the State. We hope you can join us to learn more!


Seminars To Help Educate

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Indiana FirstNet Regional Seminars are taking place around the State, from February to April. We have over 250 registrations so far. Come hear what FirstNet means for public safety communications and Indiana communities. A discussion-based exercise with IPSC will be conducted on how district Communication Plans could incorporate FirstNet and/or public safety broadband. The seminars are a precursor to the Indiana FirstNet Conference at French Link Resort - May 2-3.

You are welcome to attend a seminar outside your geographic area if that is more convenient.  Food and drink will be provided! The seminars will be conducted as a discussion-based exercise, under the Homeland Security Exercise & Evaluation Program (HSEEP).

View the locations below and register today, www.surveymonkey.com/r/DPCSeminar:

  • Feb 9, District 6- Muncie, 11:30am
  • Feb 23, District 2- Plymouth, 10:00am
  • Mar 1, District 9- North Vernon, 1:00pm
  • Mar 9, District 5- Plainfield, 10:00am
  • Mar 14, District 1- Michigan City,
    10:00am (Central Time)
  • Mar 15, District 7- Sullivan, 10:30am
  • Mar 16, District 8- Seymour, 12:00pm
  • Mar 21, District 10- Lynnville,
    11:00am (Central Time)
  • Mar 23, District 3- Columbia City, 9:00am
  • Apr 20, District 4- Lafayette, 12:00pm

Thank you to the DPC Program Administrators and Coordinators for helping identify dates and locations for the Regional Seminars.


FirstNet Website is Live!

The Indiana FirstNet website now is live. You can visit www.in.gov/ipsc/infirstnet to view use cases of early builders, learn more about the technology behind FirstNet, and read Indiana's initial planning documents related to the nationwide public safety broadband network.  An events calendar advertises upcoming seminars and conferences, as well as local and national conferences being attended by IPSC. Check it out!


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